This is the hardest text I’ve ever had to write. My beloved mother, Lisa Kopf, is transitioning to comfort care in the next few days. As many of you know, I have only recently begun working again after federal cuts saw me unemployed. I cannot afford to pay for a basic cremation for her, let alone a funeral. I am asking my friends and family to please help me raise the $6,000 for a direct cremation, an urn, and a fitting obituary in the local paper, plus the various extras like death certificates and mileage to bring her from the hospital to the funeral home. Thank you all for your love and generosity.